Secrets
by Sephy-kun's girl
Summary: HA! COMPLETE! Kiokuko Tribal, the daughter of Zidane and Garnet, never knew of her Uncle Kuja, but when word slips out, she wants to know more. Angered by her father's refusal to answer her questions, Kioku sets off to find out about t
1. It Begins

Disclaimer: OMG! This is my first disclaimer! What a momentous occasion! Okay, okay deep breaths…deep breaths! I, Sekugi…do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters/storylines……..OMFG!

A/N: Okay peeps! This happens to be my very first fanfic! Yaaaaay! I'm a little nervous, but in the words of one of my favorite characters in the history of ever, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West from the musical/book "Wicked"), " It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes, and leap. It's time to try defying gravity!" F.Y.I., I'm listening to "Wicked!" "Popular" to be exact. Anyway, you probably didn't pick this story read my ramblings! So, without further interruptions, Sekugi proudly presents…**CHAPTER ONE!**

(In this space I'll normally have responses to reviews) 

"So, what will you name her?" asked twelve year old Eiko.

Twenty-two year old Garnet looked up from her sleeping daughter," I suppose I'll give her a Summoner name. She does have the makings of a horn."

"Yeah!" said Zidane, cheerfully entering the bedroom," She also has the cutest little stub of a tail you'll ever see!"

"Yes," Garnet laughed," she does. I'm sure it will grow to be long and beautiful, just like her daddy's."

Zidane looked at her indignantly," There's nothing 'beautiful' about my tail! It's 'handsome!'"

Garnet chuckled," Oh, please excuse me!" she turned back to Eiko," So do you know of any Summoner names we could give her?"

Eiko thought about it for a moment.

"How about Kiokuko?" she asked finally.

"Kiokuko…?" Garnet muttered thoughtfully," I think it's beautiful! What do you think, Zidane?"

"I dunno…" he replied," It's kinda long isn't it?"

"Well, we could call her 'Kioku' for short.." she suggested hopefully," Oh please, Zidane? I love the name!"

The genome sighed heavily," Alright, Kiokuko Tribal it is."

Garnet smiled and gave her husband a kiss.

"Oh!" she said excitedly," We have to have a big party to show her to everyone! Uncle Cid, Aunt Hilda, Freya, Amarant, even Quina! We'll invite all of Alexandria!"

"We'll go to the Black Mage Village first though, right? Asked Zidane.

"Of course," Garnet said gently," _and _we will invite Tantulus to the party."

Zidane smiled," You're the best, Dagger!"

Eiko jumped," Can I go to? I haven't seen Vivi in so long…"

Garnet laughed," Of course you can, Eiko!"

" Yes!" she exclaimed as she glanced at a clock," DAMMIT! I promised dad I would be home by seven!"

She dashed out of the room.

"We leave for the village for the village in the morning!" Zidane called after her.

He turned back Garnet," You'd better get some rest. We've got to get up pretty early tomorrow if we plan on getting to the village on time. Vivi's expecting us at eight."

She nodded and carried the baby…Kioku to a cradle. As he reached the doorway, Zidane heard Garnet humming to Kioku. He smiled and went to prepare the Invinsible.

The next day, as they entered the village, they heard something they didn't expect…laughter.

"W-What's going on?" Asked Zidane, shocked.

All around them young genomes ran and played while the adults talked and laughed. A few remained soulless and empty, but for the most part, it seemed like a normal village.

"Zidane, over there!" Garnet said pointing," I think it's Mikoto!"

Sure enough, as Zidane turned he saw his little sister walking towards them, but there was something different about her…almost…normal…

"Zidane?" she asked," What took you so long?"

Zidane opened his mouth to answer, when he was cut off by another familiar voice.

"Eiko?" came the young black mage's voice.

"Vivi!" yelled Eiko as they embraced," I missed you so much!"

"Did you see?" Vivi asked excitedly," The genomes are starting to awaken!"

Eiko nodded," Yeah! Hey! You got taller!"

"Of course!" he said proudly," So what was it you had to show me, Dagger?"

She walked forward and showed him the baby," Her name is Kiokuko Tribal!"

"She has a horn and a tail?" asked Mikoto.

"Yeah!" her brother replied," She'll be a Summoner! And you'll be 'Auntie Mikoto!'"

She frowned," And what will Kuja be?"

There was an uneasy silence in the village at the mention of the late would-be destroyer of Gaia.

"Never mentioned." Zidane said sternly.

"You can't pretend your own brother didn't exist!" Mikoto yelled.

Garnet sighed," It's best Kioku doesn't know about Kuja… or what he's done."

"What he did during his life changes nothing!" yelled the outraged genome," That man was your brother and her uncle!"

"Watch it, Mikoto," said Zidane coldly," you almost sound like you care."

Mikoto gave him that glare that says 'one more word and I'll tear your vocal chords out through your ass.'

"In case you havn't noticed, Zidane, we have changed!" She said sharply, "We are no longer soulless, emotionless vessels, we have become _people_!"

She stormed off to the synth shop.

"Weren't you a little harsh, Zidane?"asked Vivi.

Zidane glared after his sister," I think we should go home, Dagger."

"No!" she shouted," I want to stay and meet the genomes!"

Zidane sighed heavily," Fine. I'm gonna go go wait at the inn. Meet me there when you're done."

Garnet felt like she should stop him, but she changed her mind when a few kids ran up to her asking questions.

As Zidane walked into the inn, every head turned his way.

"Zidane!" yelled a small voice.

A little girl ran out of the back of the room and gave him a hug that only reached his waist.

"Uhhhh…hi?" he said, a little confused.

"Guess What!" she said happily.

"What?"

She smiled widely," We all got names!"

Zidane smiled back," And what's yours?"

She giggled," Relm! I picked it myself!"

"How old are you?"

She paused," The smart black mage guy said that since I just woke up, I'm not gonna wake up until I'm the age my body looks."

"Huh?"

Another genome stepped forward," In other words, since my body looks twenty, I probably won't age until for about twenty years or so."

"What's your name?" asked Zidane.

"Faris." she rplied.

Zidane looked around," So does everyone have a name?"

Faris nodded," Yes, we all chose them ourselves."

Zidane looked at Relm," You look about four or five…Hey! You just woke up this year, right?"

She nodded.

"You're gonna be the same age as Kioku!" he exclaimed.

"Who?" asked Faris.

"My daughter Kiokuko Tribal!" Zidane said proudly," You've gotta meet her!"

A/N: Okay, be sure review, 'cause I'm not not gonna update 'til I get at least five reviews. So there! Just so you know, I'm crying because of the "Wicked" song I'm listening to called "For Good" 'cause it's so friggin' sad. It's the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good saying good bye for the last time (they used to be best friends). Sorry…I'll probably put a ton of worthless crap in my author's notes that you won't care about. Just deal with it and review my story!


	2. Dreams and Songs

Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the FF series…but I'm working' on it..!

Rushi- Thanks for the enthusiasm, Rushi-chan! I'm finally updating for ya!…(mostly 'cause ya kept annoying me at school about it…) As I've told you before, talk to me at recess about the characters, alright? Now that means walk up to me and say "Hey! Explain the characters before I kill you!" Thanks for bein' my first (and currently only) review! HUGS RUSHI-CHAN! And thaks for the comment about my profile. You so nice!

A/N: Second chapter and only one review. sigh… Ah well, life goes on 'til ya die! I'M LISTENIN' TO THE CHOCOBO SONG! YAAAAAY CHOCOBOS! Here comes…CHAPTER FRIGGIN' TWO!

_The girl's eyes are wide with fear at the flames growing around her._

_"Okaasan! OKAASAN!" she cries desperately._

_None heed her cries. Her terror grows with the flames._

_"Tasukete!" she screams as she begins to lose hope,"Okaasan, tasukete kudasai!"_

_Smoke fills her lungs._

_"Okaasan…" she whispers._

_She begins crying with the knowledge that she is going to die. She take a deep breath and does all she can think to do…She touches her horn and sings…_

_"W-Watashi ga shinou t-to mo"_

"Kioku! Kiokuko!"

_"Suika! Shine na! Kudasai, SHINE NA!" her mother screams. Her words do not reach her daughter._

_"Kimi g-ga ikite i-iru kagiri" she sings weakly._

"KIOKUKO, WAKE UP!" Garnet screamed.

"We have to save her, mommy!" the four-year-old screamed, "Her mommy's calling her, but she can't hear it! She's all alone, mommy! **She's gonna die alone!**"

Garnet cradled her crying child, "It's okay, sweetie. I'm here. Everything is alright. No one is going to die."

Zidane stumbled into the room, "What's going on, Daggar? Is Kioku okay?"

"Yes," Garnet said, rocking the little girl, "Everything is fine. Kioku just had a nightmare, that's all."

"She was singing, mommy." whimpered Kioku, "She was singing your song…"

-Later that day-

"Mommy?"

Garnet turned to see Kioku standing in the doorway of the workroom. A serious look on blonde girl's face made her uneasy.

"What do you need, honey?" she asked, hoping to hear the girl ask for a glass of milk or a snack as usual.

Kiokuko ran up to her mother and sat on her lap, "Your song…does it have words?"

Garnet frowned, "Does this have to do with your dream?"

The child was silent.

Garnet sighed, "Yes, the song sung by the Summoners has words."

"How come you never sing them?"

"Because most of them are in a different language that Eiko doesn't even understand…She says it's a lost language to the Summoners."

"Can you sing them for me?"

"I suppose I could…" Garnet said hesitantly.

The child watched her expectantly as she tried to remember the words to "Melodies of Life."

Finally, Garnet began to sing,

"Ate mo naku samayotte ita

Tegakari mo naku sagashi tsuzuketa

Anata ga kureta omoide o

Kokoro o iyasu uta ni shite

Yakusoku mo suru koto mo naku

Kawasu koto bamo kimetari mo sezu

Dakishima soshite tashikameta

HibI wa nida to kaeranu

Kioku no naka no te o furu anata wa

Watashi no na o yobu koto ga dekiru no

Afureru sono namida o

Kagayaku yuuki ni kaete

Inochi wa tsuzuku

Yoru o koe

Utagau koto no nai ashita e to tsuzuku

Tobu tori no mukou no sora e

Ikutsu no kioku azuketa darou

Hakanai kibou mo yume mo

Todokanu basho ni wasurete

Maguriau no wa guuzen to ieru no

Wakareru toki ga kanarazu kuru no ni

A voice from the past, joining yours and mine

Adding up the layers of harmony

And so it goes on and on

To the sky beyond the flying birds

Forever and on

Watashi ga shinou to mo

Kimi ga ikite iru kagiri

Inochi wa tsuzuku

Eien ni

Sono chikara no kagiri ni doko made mo tsuzuku"

"The last refrain…" Kioku muttered to herself, "That's what Suika sang…"

The girl ran out of the room. Garnet watched as she played with Zidane in the yard. Why did her child have these it be the mix of genome and Summoner blood...?

A/N: How convenient! I am now am listening to the "Melodies of Life!" Yes, the language spoken in Koiku's dream is Japanese. (I just wanted to incorperate it into my story somehow! teeheehee) In English it woul go something like this…

Suika: "Mommy! MOMMY!" "Help! Mommy help!" "Mommy…"

Suika's mom: "Suika! Don't die! Please, DON'T DIE!"

And the song is different. I'll give you bit of the song each time I update. Today I'll give you the first verse translation. Don't forget to review! (Yes, those were the actual Japnesewords to the song)

I was wandering without a destination

I continued to search without any clues

Making the memories you gave me

Into a song to heal my heart

**REVIEEEEEW!...**Please?...with a cherry on top?...


	3. Make Me Different!

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Final Fantasy, There would be a hell of a lot more Kuja-sama!…but I don't…and there isn't…DAMN!

**Rae**: SHEEZ! This is my first fic, so you can't expect it to be OMGMASERPIECENESS! Sadly, in this fic, Kuja-sama is dead, though he does appear and play a fair part in my story. (How big? Who knows. I only have 10 pre-written chapters.) I'm glad you liked the Japanese. There will be more.

**Toxo**: 'Kay! J

**Rushi-chan**: I'm glad you still like my story! By the way, next time you party…INVITE ME!

A/N: Thanks to all three of you for reviewing! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Okay, now that that's out of the way…STORY TIME! You'll notice a time gap, but don't worry! It'll all come together, so just bear with me, okay?

-----12 YEARS LATER--------

Kioku took a deep breath. She nervously pulled her blonde bangs out of her face. She felt the rest of her hair pushing against her back, unable to move freely due to the hairstyle borrowed from her mother.

_Come on, Kioku_, she thought, _you can do this…just concentrate!_

She pulled the top of her prism in front of her face and closed her eyes. She began drawing energy toward it from the heat in the air around her.

_Concentrate!_

She opened her eyes, "FIRAGA!"

She smiled triumphantly as a nearby tree burst into flame.

She began jumping up and down with excitement, "Did you see that, Vivi?"

"Very good, Kioku!" called the black mage from his safe vantage point a good ten yards away (he had learned his lesson after teaching her thundaga).

"Really?" she asked excitedly, "Well, I did learn from the best black mage ever!"

"Ah, stop sucking up!" the twenty-two year old mage said with a laugh, "You're pretty good at black magic, seeing as you're supposed to just be learning white and summoning magic! By the way, are you sure your mother doesn't mind this?"

Kioku sighed, "I didn't exactly tell her…but what she doesn't know can't hurt her…right? You won't tell her, will you?"

"As long as you don't ignore your other lessons, it's no concern of mine." Vivi said shrugging, "You aren't skipping out on them, are you?"

"Of course not!" Kioku laughed, "If I did that, mom would kill me for sure!"

"Hey! Kioku!"

She turned to see Relm running towards her from the Black Mage Village.

She smiled, "Hey, Relm! What's up?"

Relm paused, panting to catch her breath, "Your parents…are coming…tomorrow…right?…To…take you back to Alexandria?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Do ya think I could come too?" Relm asked hopefully, "I've always wanted to see the Mist Continent!"

_That's right_, thought Kioku, _the farthest Relm has probably gone would be Conde Petie._

"I'll ask dad!" she said.

The two walked to Relm's hut where Kioku had been staying for the past week. She always came once a month to meet up with Relm and Faris. She also took secret black magic lessons with Vivi that only Relm, Faris, and Mikoto knew about.

"Hey, Kioku," a boy's voice said mockingly, "Where ya been?"

The girls turned to see a young genome smiling at them.

"That's none of your business, Sabin." said Relm.

He shrugged, "Whatever. Just wonderin' where you go every day, that's all."

He calmly walked away.

Relm giggled, "He's cute, isn't he?"

Kioku shook her head as they entered the hut.

_My dad told me stories about how the village used to be_, she thought, _but I just can't imagine it. A bunch of soulless people wandering around without any understanding of the world around them…it just sounds creepy._

She lay down with these thoughts circulating through her mind and went to sleep…

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"_I'm not like these guys!" a young genome yelled, "I look the same, but I'm not! I'm different, and you can't order me around, Garland!"_

_The old man shook his head, "I still created you, boy. I am the authority over all genomes…even a fluke like you."_

_"So why don't you make me one of **them**." The boy yelled pointing at the soulless genomes around him, "It'd save me from having to look at your ugly face! Which, by the way, IS COMPARABLE TO A CHOCOBO'S ASS!"_

_Garland glared at him, "You might want to hold your tongue, boy. Until the superior genome is fully grown, I may have use for you."_

_"And why should I trust you?"_

_"Because, believe it or not, until Zidane is ready to fulfill his duties as Angel of Death, I need you to act as a temporary Angel."_

_"That's not a reason, you old fool!"_

_The boy turned away, "Whatever…"_

_He walked into the nearby inn and looked at himself in the mirror, "When that…Zidane kid is born, he and I will look exactly alike…just like the others…" _

_He stepped back, "No! I won't have it!"_

_He ran to a storage room where he found a moogle._

_"I want to look different." he said calmly._

_The moogle nodded and handed him a small box, "Everything you'll need is in there, kupo! Er…Actually…why should a genome want one?"_

_Kuja paused, "Errrrm…M-Master Garland wants it…yeah…"_

_The moogle shrugged and flew away._

_Kuja went back to the inn and looked in the box……makeup and hair dyes…_

_The young genome smiled and put on some of the eye shadow._

_"This will do nicely…"_

A/N: Yeah…bit of a rushed end there…Gomen nasai...Ah well! Oh! While I'm thinking' of it…those of you who are prone to flaming…I WILL FLAME RIGHT BACK! lights match and smiles YAY HOORAY PYROMANIA!

Please review…I'm desperate for reviews…I'll dance! -does an X-TREME monkey dance- Dewa mata!


	4. Why Me?

**Disclaimer: **Okay, let's go over this again…Sekugi does not own Final Fantasy IX! Get it? I do!

**Rushi-chan**: Be patient! The LUV will come soon enough! First Kioku needs a guy, doesn't she? Give me time!

**Toxo:** Thanks! I apologize for the shortness of my previous chapter, but I had to change it from the original chapter I had written 'cause I didn't like the way I had portrayed Kuja-sama. (I'm sure my fellow Kuja lovers would have killed me if I'd used that chapter!) So I had to figure out something else…but I really couldn't…I honestly didn't like the way it turned out, but oh well…As long as you liked, I guess it's alright! (I'll attempt to make this chapter longer. ) Other characters will appear in later chapters, promise!

**A/N:** Hi again! I'm listenin' to "Rose of May" and I'm all ready to write chapter 4! YAAAAY CHAPTER 4!

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"A-A boy named Kuja?" Relm asked.

Kioku nodded, "Yeah, he was a genome…in some city I had never seen anything like…"

Relm shifted uncomfortably.

Kioku stared at her friend, "Have you…heard of him?"

Relm jumped, N-No! Of course not! I-It was just a dream! R-Right?"

Kioku glared at her, "Relm, you're the worst liar I have ever met! Now please tell me what you know of this Kuja!"

"Kioku…I…we're not supposed to…" Relm whimpered on the verge of tears.

"Please, Relm," Kioku pleaded, " The last time I had a dream like this, I just knew the people in it were real…I never had the chance to find out who they truly were. That bothers me to this very day. Please…it may help me understand what these dreams are…why they are…"

Relm turned away, "Kuja is…was…"

"He was my older brother."

Startled, Kioku turned to see Mikoto standing in the doorway, "W-Was?"

"I shouldn't say anymore." Mikoto said calmly, "Your parents told me that I was forbidden to speak of him.

She tuned to Relm, "That **we **were forbidden to speak of him."

"Your brother…?" muttered Kioku, "But that would make him my-"

Mikoto shook her head, "Not supposed to talk about him."

"Then why did you…"

Mikoto walked out before her niece could finish.

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Later on the _Invincible _Kioku manage to get away from Relm and her shrill squeals of pleasure long enough to meet Zidane on the ship's control panel.

"Dad?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah?" he said without turning.

His daughter took a deep breath, "Wh-Who was…Kuja?"

Zidane was silent as he lowered the airship to the ground and stepped off the control panel.

"Did Mikoto tell you about him?" he asked.

"Well, no." replied Kioku, "I had a dream about him. You know, like the ones I had when I was younger?"

Her father sighed but did not respond.

"Please, dad, who is he? I just want to know about my uncle!"

Zidane glared, "Now I know Mikoto had to have told you that!"

"What does Aunt Mikoto have to do with any of this? This is about you not telling me that I had an uncle!"

"For good reason!"

"What possible reason could there be that could make even think of keeping something like this away from me!"

Relm walked in nervously.

Zidane looked at her severely, "Do you have anything to do with this?"

She shook her head, "N-No, sir. She asked me about him because she said he was in her dream…"

Kioku ignored Relm, "Why can't you tell me about him? What is so horrible that you can't tell me about it?"

Zidane turned away, "It's best you stay oblivious."

"Oblivious to what? My uncle?"

Zidane sighed heavily, but said nothing.

Kioku glared at him and turned away, "Fine, I'll find out about him myself!"

Before Zidane and Relm could protest, Kioku had run out the door to her on board room. She quickly grabbed everything off the shelves, walls, and floor and placed it in a pack she had found in her closet a few years back. She swung the pack over her shoulder, grabbed her prism staff and walked out.

Relm quickly ran up to her in the hallway, "Kioku, be careful what you do! Your father said he wouldn't lower or stop the ship for you!"

Kioku glared ahead for a moment before saying simply, "My mind's made up."

"But…!"

It was too late, Kioku was already halfway down the hall, where she nearly ran into her mother.

"Kioku?" Garnet said with a laugh, "What are you doing charging through the hall like that?"

Kioku just looked at the queen, hugged her, and said, "I'm so sorry, mom. I just…need to know about…everything."

Garnet looked at her daughter in horror as the girl ran straight to the nearest window…and jumped out just as the airship began to lift off.

"KIOKUUUUUU!" Garnet screamed.

The girl just ran as fast as she could. She somehow had to find this Kuja guy and ask him some questions!

After a while, Kioku stopped running and sat down to rest.

"What am I doing..?" she wondered to herself, "Is it really this important to me…?"

She opened her pack and began to take inventory, pulling things out and setting them on the ground beside her.

"A few phoenix downs, ethers, potions, high potions, elixirs, magic tags, antidotes, vaccines, eye drops, softs…dad's orichalcon…oops…"

Kioku pulled the daggers from their sheaths and looked at them. She knew the blades had a history with Zidane when he had kidnapped Garnet. Now she had the feeling she hadn't gotten the whole story…

She sighed and lay down on her back, looking at the sky…the perfect blue sky…blue…

The color of Gaia. How many times had Zidane told her that?

So…why does it bother me…, she wondered, Does it have to do with the planet Doctor Tot had told me about in my lessons?…Terra?

She paused to remember her lessons.

Terra, the planet of sleeping souls…the planet that assimilated with other planets in order to stay alive. It had attempted an assimilation with Gaia a while back, but it went wrong.

Something had destroyed the surface of Terra, weakening it to the point where the assimilation backfired. Instead of Gaia becoming part of Terra, Terra became a part of Gaia...

Kioku could still remember when she had learned that.

"What destroyed the surface, Doctor Tot?" she had asked.

He had hesitated before responding, "No one really knows, my dear princess. It is a mystery."

Kioku jumped as she heard a familiar sound…the sound of an airship's engine…

Fearing that it was the _Invincible_, she quickly cast vanish. She watched a rickety old airship fly above her. Realizing that this could be her chance to hitch a ride, she quickly tucked her tail into the orange outfit once worn by her mother, put on the a white mage cloak (also her mother's), and hurriedly cast dispel.

"How do I flag it down?" she asked herself frantically.

In an instant, she had cast holy into the sky. She watched happily as the white orbs of energy wove amongst each other through the clouds. A minute later, the airship landed next to her.

A boy stepped out as engine slowed to a stop. He had black hair pulled back in a short ponytail. He wore a dusty white shirt, a baggy brown pants, and a pair of dark brown working gloves.

"Hey, miss!" he yelled over the still roaring engine, "You need a ride or something'?"

"If it's not too much trouble!" Kioku screamed back.

As she stepped onto the airship the boy took her hand and said, "And what might your name be, miss?"

"Ki-" she paused as a voice in the back of her head sreamed at her not to give her real name, "Kiki…"

"Nice name." the boy said nonchalantly, "I'm Aji, captain of the airship _Ryu Chikara_!"

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**A/N: **Sorry this one took a bit longer to write. I've had a super hectic week. The other day I had an after school program 'til five, then a school concert at seven (though I was supposed to be there at 6:15...I was thirty minutes late…)Ah well… At least I got this chapter done! The things I do for you people -shakes head-…Hope it's long enough…

SO REVIEW! I WORKED HARD ON THIS CHAPTER and I need your support! -teeheehee!-


	5. Again?

**Disclaimer: **Guys, seriously! I DO NOT own Final Fantasy IX! END OF STORY!

**Mirai Maxwell: **As promised. You are my first mention of chapter…whatever this is. Yaaay! Parties for MM I'm glad you like my story! Keep reviewing!

**Toxo: **I already sent you a message, didn't I: P (understatement of the year award) Oh well, I like to respond to everybody who reads my story and show those who read but don't review that they should! Of course I don't see how responding does that but…

**Rushi-chan:** Okay Rushi-chan… Yes I remember the equation, and I gave Kioku-chan a guy didn't I? YOU NEED TO BE MORE FRIGGIN' PATIENT! You can't rush the LUV! Also, in case you didn't notice by the little message after you review…IT TAKES A WHILE FOR ME TO GET THE REVIEW! So stop asking me at school if I get your reviews because I'll tell you if I do! Geez!

**A/N:** Okay! Da peeps want humor, so humor I shall try to give them. (Aji's supposed to be a bit of an...erm…interesting character) Oh! FYI a I like to name my personal characters after foods! Suika means watermelon, and Aji refers to a type of fish. Kioku is different because I couldn't find any food names that fit the character so I gave her the name Kiokuko, or "memory child". Faris, Relm, and Sabin are names from previous games, which were the kinds of names I had decided upon for the genomes. Faris-FFV, Sabin-FFVI, Relm-FFVI, both of which I have started but haven't beaten…yet. (FF V is friggin' hard to the X-TREME!)

Anyways, STORYNESS TIME!

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"So!" said Aji cheerfully, "What can I do for a young lady such as yourself, Miss Kiki?"

"I need to get to Lindblum. Can you get me there in a reasonable amount of time?"

The boy burst out laughing, "You got no clue where you are, do ya?"

"No…Why?"

"We're about a two minute flight from Lindblum, miss!"

"Oh…" Kioku replied, "Well…I…I don't want to be noticed, so…"

The boy smiled (as if he'd ever stopped), "Hence the hood, I'm guessin'? Ah well, I'm sure I can do it. Done it before anyway. Basically, unless you are a complete and utter idiotic moron, I can get ya in. Simple as that."

Kioku nodded in thanks and sat down with a sigh. It was amazing how this boy could say all that with

"Hey, Miss Kiki!" Aji said, "Ya look kinda tired there. Tell ya what, when we get to Lindblum, I'll set the _Ryu _down so you can rest. I'll wake ya up at some point."

"'Ryu'? I thought she was the '_Ryu Chikara'_."

"Yeah, well it's kinda tough ta run around saying 'Ryu Chikara' all the time, don't ya think?"

"I suppose…"

The more she talked to this…Aji boy…the more confused she got. Everything from his simple speech to his simple manner of dress…it all intrigued Kioku.

"By the way, Miss Kiki," He said, interrupting her thoughts, "What's really beneath the hood?"

Kioku turned and didn't respond.

"A horrid disfigurement?" the pilot suggested, "Disgusting, oozing rash? Ugly scars? A pretty face that doesn't want to be seen by the likes of me?"

She looked at him. How could this one boy be so rude?

"Monster? Talking animal?……An alien? Come on, show me!"

"I think," Koku said firmly, "**You** should show **me** to a room where I can sleep. I've had a long, **long **day."

The boy shrugged, "One of these days the mystery shall be revealed. 'Til then you sleep down the hall, third door on the right. Good night, Miss Kiki."

At least he still calls me "Miss Kiki," Kioku thought bitterly, but of all ships…why this one?

Kioku sat down heavily on the bed of her room, door locked. She could feel excitement welling up inside her. She had never been allowed into the city of Linblum itself, just the castle where she'd spent many a day wandering the nearly endless halls. What was Lindblum like?

Images of what it must look like flashed through her head as she slowly drifted into sleep…

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_"Okaasan..?"_

_Suika looks up. Instead of flames, she sees...blue. Blue walls, floors, furniture…even the clothing she is wearing is blue. She stands and looks at the plain looking two piece skirt._

_"Nani…? D-Doko…"_

_The blue door opens and in walks a boy about her age. He has red, feathered hair held back in a neat ponytail and a reddish-brown tail swinging behind him. His crimson eyes stare at her for a moment._

_"Oh!" he says, "You're awake!"_

_Suika moves back, "Nani? Gomen nasai…Wakarimasen."_

_"Oh no…you speak a different language…this'll be kind of tough…"_

_"Madain Sari wa…doko desu ka?"_

_"Huh?"_

_Suika frowns. This is going nowhere fast._

_She points to herself, "Suika."_

_The boy nods in understanding and points to himself, "Locke."_

_"…Locke…" Suika repeats._

_Locke stretches his arms out, "Terra."_

_Suika stares in confusion. Locke sighs and takes her arm. He gently pulls her through some blue hallways. He finally leads her into a small, empty room._

_He smiles at her and raises his right hand as it begins to glow._

_Suddenly, to Suika's amazement, two small planets appear before them. One is all a shimmering blue, the other was green and blue. Suika points to the green and blue one._

_"Gaia!" she says excitedly, "Gaia!"_

_Locke nods and points to the other, "Terra."_

_He then spreads out his arms again, "Terra."_

_Suika looks around, finally understanding, "Te…Terra…?"_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Kioku opened her eyes. She shuddered. She hadn't had a dream like that in so long…At least Suika was okay…but who was she…?

There was a knock on her door, "Miss Kiki? Are ya awake?"

She rubbed her eyes. He didn't act it, but he seemed so polite when he wasn't poking fun at her. He **had** knocked, and he'd called her Miss Kiki…and most importantly, he didn't question her…

"Miss Kiki." Aji said again as if coaxing a cat out of a tree.

Kioku frowned, "I'm up. What is it?"

Maybe he wasn't so polite.

"Well," he said simply, "It just so happens that we are currently sitting right inside Lindblum's airship dock."

Kioku sighed happily, "I'll be just a minute!"

"Make sure it's not too long a minute."

"Whatever do you mean by that?"

"Listen, Miss Kiki, I've met plenty of girls in my eighteen years of life. One minute of getting ready for some means four hours of sitting outside a closed door in complete boredom. Some would argue that this is done by only a few women, BUT NO! It's all of 'em! It's like there's a magnet in every girls room that just keeps her in there for elongated periods of time. Someday, I will find out why. First I gotta get me a girlfriend, though."

Kioku listened with one eyebrow raised. Was this boy serious at all?

She decided to change the subject as she got ready, "So you are eighteen?"

"Yeah." he said through the door, "How 'bout you? How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"I see…Where're ya from…or is that too much to ask?"

"I'd rather not talk about it." she said firmly.

"Okay, okay. No need to be sour."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Well where are you from?"

He seemed hesitant to answer, "Small town called Dali. Boring place really…mostly a hick town…"

"Dali? I believe my father has been there!"

The cheer had left Aji's voice. "Dunno why he'd want to…"

Kioku stared at the door, "Why do you hate your hometown so?"

"I told ya it's boring."

"But what of your family? Don't they miss you?"

"Doubt it."

"What do you mean?"

He paused, "…You ready yet?"

"Y-Yeah, I suppose…but what about-"

"Okay then!" Aji said, sounding as cheerful as ever, "Let's head on out!"

Kioku watched him carefully as they walked into the great city, as if watching him would give her all the answers to her questions. How was it that a boy cheerful talking about oozing rashes, and seem upset when his hometown, something that should bring him blissful memories, was so much as mentioned?

She made a mental note to find out one day, but all thoughts of Aji left her as she stared in wonder at the city of Lindblum.

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**A/N:** Finally finished this chapter! Geez, it seemed like this one took forever!

OMG! Suika returns! And what's up with Aji? Will he ever learn to be polite? I don't quite know! All I know is I've changed this a lot from it's original format…a hell of a lot…

Tell me what you think of the character Aji, please. I'm wondering whether or not to keep the character the way he is or change him…

I await your reviews. SO REVIEW, DAMN YOU! Ahem…sorry about that…but it's so simple. If you hate it, press the review button and type "you suck." If you like it, do the same, except type "Love it" and maybe add other compliments or answers to questions of mine. See? Simple. So why are you still reading this? DIDN'T I JUST TELL YOU TO REVIEW? WELL?


	6. Lindblum Is Huge

**Disclaimer: **I'm running out of ways to say that I don't own the game…

**Rushi-chan- **-picks up pieces of Rushi-chan- Next time you blow up…do it outside! SHEESH! Character maturity is for losers! IMMATURE PEOPLE SHALL RULETH THE WORLD! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!…You spelled cynical wrong…

**Toxo:** XD…be patient about Kuja-sama. He isn't someone you just wave around like a lunatic! Unless you are a lunatic who happens to be strong enough to lift Kuja-sama…hmmm…

**Mirai Maxwell: **Are you confused 'cause I didn't translate or 'cause you just don't get it? If it's the latter, then please be patient as it shall be explained in the future of this story. If it's the first part…; gomen nasai…

"Okaasan" -mother, "nani…D-Doko?"- What?…W-Where…, "Nani? Gomen nasai…wakarimasen." -What? I'm sorry…I don't understand., "Madain Sari wa…doko desu ka?"- Where is Madain Sari?

These are sort of loose translations, but the rest you should be able to understand…

**A/N: **Sorry 'bout the wait peeps! Holiday season and computer hogging, college age, "tool" (his word not mine) of a brother. -bows- Gomen nasai!

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"T-This is Lindblum?" Kioku gasped.

Aji laughed, "Well duh! What? You never been here?"

"Not exactly…Hey! Where's the synth shop?"

"Why?"

"There is something I need synthesized."

"Why?"

Kioku glared at Aji. How immature could an eighteen year old get?

He smiled and pointed, "Right around that corner. Y'know…I could just take you there myse-"

"Thank you." Kioku said, firmly cutting him off, "I'll meet you back here in an hour."

He shrugged, "Whatever. Just don't get lost. 'Cause if I have to find you, it won't be so subtle."

"Was that a threat?"

"What?"

"What you just said."

He looked around stupidly, "Well, what'd I just say?"

Kioku shook her head. It wasn't even worth it talking to this boy.

"Look, never mind." she said in frustration, "just meet me back here-"

"In an hour." he finish with a smile, "Gotcha."

Kioku watched him as he walked off in a random direction. With a sigh she headed off in the direction Aji had pointed, wondering if he had shown her the right way.

As soon as she arrived, a young man walked up to the counter.

"What can I do for you, miss?" he asked.

She placed her prism staff and Zidane's orichalcon on the counter in front of him, "Can you put these together?"

He looked at them, "Don't know…"

"Can you try?"

"It'll be difficult…"

"So you will?" she asked hopefully.

The man shrugged, "Sure."

Kioku smiled, "So…how much will this cost?"

The man studied the weapons again, "I'd say about…Oh…2500 gil maybe…"

Kioku nodded and shuffled through her bag until she had found the proper amount. She handed it to the man. He pocketed the money and took the weapons.

"Come back in about half an hour…If this works it should be done by then."

Kioku nodded again, "Thank you, sir."

She walked out as the man took the weapons to the back of the shop.

"Now what…?" she wondered.

She thought for a moment. She didn't need anything other than a more powerful weapon…so what could she do with half an hour…let alone one full one?

She looked up at Lindblum Grand Castle. Where Miss Eiko lived…

She quickly caught the next cab headed that way.

As she reached the castle, she removed the cloak and pulled her tail from her clothes. She sighed with relief. It wasn't exactly comfortable to have your tail cramped like that for hours on end…

As she stepped out she immediately went up to a guard, "Please take me to Lady Eiko."

He glanced at her horn and tail, "Right this way, Princess Kiokuko."

She followed him to what was once a guest room, but was now Eiko's bedroom.

The guard left as Kioku knocked on the door.

"Yeah?" came Eiko's voice.

"It's me."

The door flew open as the twenty-two year old Summoner ran out and hugged Kioku, "Ahhhh, Princess Kioku! It seems like it's been forever since I last saw you!"

"Two months" Kioku corrected.

"Whatever. Anyway, what is the great Princess Kiokuko Tribal of Alexandria doing visiting me when she's ignored me for two months? Or so she claims."

Kioku smiled. These visits were never boring.

"I came to ask a favor of you, Lady Eiko."

They always addressed each other politely (or as politely as they could in Eiko's case) as a sort of inside joke that not even they got.

"And what would that be, princess?"

"Are there any Eidolons that I have not yet learned to control?"

Eiko thought for a moment, "Ummmmmm…Yeeeeeeessss….one I believe."

She went to her dresser and reached around, "I know it's here somewhere…"

"You always were the neat one, weren't you, Lady Eiko?" Kioku said with a smile.

"Ah, shut up and wait, Princess Kioku." Eiko said with a laugh, "Oh! Here it is!"

She pulled out a smooth blue gem, "Hm. If you're soo smart, then why don't you tell me which Eidolon this is?"

Koku took the gem and examined it, "Errrrrrrm…Leviathon? No…wait…Yeah, Leviathon."

"Shut up." Eiko said in mock anger, "You think you're sooo smart, but you're not!"

The two burst out in laughter. Kioku glanced at a clock, "Sorry, Miss Eiko, but I have to be leaving now."

"Hey, where's your mom? I haven't seen her in a while."

"Uhhhhhhhh…Sh-She's erm…sick"

"You're dad?"

"W-With mom…"

"Then who took you?"

Kioku realized that she was sounding suspicious, "Oh! Would you look at the time, I have to be going. Bye Miss Eiko!"

She quickly walked out of the room, putting her disguise back in place while ignoring Eiko's yelling.

After leaving the castle, Kioku headed straight for the Synth Shop. The man smiled as she walked up to the counter.

"I did it!" he said proudly, "I made your weapon."

She smiled back, "That's great!"

He lay out a staff on the counter. In place of the prisms that had previously been on top of the staff's head were three two inch blades that looked exactly like the orichalcon from which they had originated.

"I mixed the orichalcon's metal with the prisms' material to make the blades even stronger!" the man said, "I have to say this has been the toughest, and certainly the strangest, job I've ever gotten."

Kioku shook his hand, "I'm so glad you were able to do this! Thank you so much!"

She took her new weapon and walked back out into the streets. She still had a little time before she had to meet up with Aji…but since she knew nothing of the city or its layout, she had no idea what to do.

"Where were ya?"

Kioku jumped at the familiar voice. She turned around in annoyance, "Nothing you need to know about, Aji."

The boy shook his head, "Kiki, Kiki, Kiki. I need to know everything. So tell me, after you left the Synth shop, where did you go?"

In her annoyance and frustration, Kioku blurted, "I went to see Lady Eiko, alright?"

For once, Aji's smile vanished, "Lady Eiko? How do you know her? Better yet, how the hell did you get an audience with her?"

Realizing her error, Kioku scraped her brain for any excuses she had bottled up in there, "Eeeeerrrrrrrrm…M-My dad is a uuum…guard and I…met Lady Eiko when I was looking for him…yeah…"

"But I thought you….N-Nevermind. Uh…let's just rest at the inn 'til morning. I'm not really up to flying right now."

Kioku smiled, "Yeah, and I need to figure out where I'm going anyways."

Aji stared at her, "You don't know?"

"I hadn't thought that far!" she said defensively, "Besides, I'm sure I'll figure it out…eventually…"

Aji groaned, "This is just great! What're we gonna do 'til ya figure it out? Fly in circles?"

Koku glared at him, "Well I'm sorry, but running away was sort of a spur-of-the-moment-didn't-plan-ahead deal!"

"Now you're telling' me ya ran away? This is perfect! I'm probably aiding a damn fugitive!"

A few people looked nervously our way.

"I'm not a fugitive, you idiot! I just ran away from home!"

"That doesn't make any sense! And who the hell are you callin' an idiot? That's no way to talk about the one who's gonna fly you to…where was it again? Oh yeah, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW!"

Kioku glared at him in silence. She hated to admit it, but he had a point.

Aji sighed heavily, "There's the inn. Let's just check in. You're payin' for yourself."

She rolled her eyes and got her room. As she entered the room and sat on the simple bed she began immediately thinking about her next destination.

She had no clue where Kuja could be. How could she? She had only recently found out that such a man existed.

She sighed and lay back, closing her eyes. Maybe she'd find out after a nice rest…

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_"Hey…Kioku was it?"_

_"Huh?"_

_Kioku opened her eyes and looked up at the misty darkness surrounding her, "Where am I? Why am I lying down?"_

_"In your dream, and I'm afraid that even I am unsure of the latter."_

_Kioku looked to her side to see a man in a white cloak,most of his facehidden by the shadows that seemed all too common in that place, "Who are you?"_

_He chuckled, "All in good time, but first I shall tell you why I am here."_

_"Yes?"_

_"I am here to aid you in your search for the genome known as Kuja."_

_Kioku sat up, "Really?"_

_The man smiled and held out his hand, "Come."_

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**A/N:** O.o

Readers: Oooooh! What will happen next, dear author?

Sekugi: Tch! Like I'm tellin' you! Wait 'til the next chapter, fools!

Readers: But this one took you so long-

Sekugi: -glares them to death- MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! ( -- Kuja laugh XD)

Hey! I know there are people reading this who aren't reviewing. WELL IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL SUFFER SOME EXTREMELY STRANGE FATE! -laughs maniacally. Chokes. Dies. Comes back to life as a brain-eating zombie- "Braaaaaaains"-turns vegetarian- "Veeeegetabllllllles" -accidentally eats chicken and gives up her plant-eating ways- "Pooooouuuultryyyyyy" -goes around with rolled up newspaper whacking all non-reviewers on the head-………..Told ya didn't I…?

SO REVIEW OR FEEL MY UNDEAD, ONCE VEGETARIAN, PAPER WIELDING WRATH! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!


	7. To Iifa

**Disclaimer: -**sigh- it still isn't mine…-curls up in corner and dies-

Rushi-chan: You stay that way. Thanks!….. -brakes shield and beats up Rushi-chan with newspaper- OH BURN!

Toxo-chan: Thanks a ton! You is my oldest non-school-friend reviewer! -HUGS!-

Anonymous: XD Got a problem with me getting weirder? Is it me that's getting' weird or my story?

Leo-kun89: Ay…When you get here, I just want ya to know, thanks for the review…and…erm…thanks for the tidbit about the computer…I guess…XD

**A/N: **YO! Me is being back! Well, I'm certainly gettin' more reviewers…YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY REVIEWERS! -confetti, confetti-

Story continues…………………………now!

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_Kioku cautiously took the man's hand._

"_Do you know where we are?" he asked as he pulled her up._

_Kioku looked around at the darkness, "In my dream right?"_

"_Yes, but more specifically where are we? What do you see around you?"_

"_Darkness…nothing but darkness…"_

"_Look closer."_

_She looked at the man and then back into the mist…mist…_

"_Mist…" she whispered._

_The man only smiled, "Yes, there is mist. This is all people used to see on Gaia in place of the sky, but look even beyond the mist."_

_Kioku squinted. Tiny lights began appearing throughout the sky._

"_The sky!" she yelled with the sudden realization, "Stars! We're in the sky!"_

_The man stared into the distance, "Zidane was once in the place we are now standing. Yes, this is the 'sky', but it is still more. This is a gateway."_

"_My dad…? A gateway…to what?"_

_He turned back to her, "Terra, the planet of lost souls."_

"_But, Terra was destroyed…"_

"_Yes," the man's cool voice seemed to come from all around, a voice born from silence, a voice that wasn't really there, "Terra was destroyed. Do you know how?"_

"_No. No one knows."_

_He chuckled, "Oh, they know. They simply lie to make it easier on those who truly know nothing."_

"'_They'? Who are 'they'?"_

"_Again, all in good time. For now, I will just point you in the proper direction."_

"_To find Kuja?"_

_The man paused and nodded, almost sadly, "To find Kuja."_

_He took a moment to stare straight ahead, as if he was trying to see something within the mists._

" _Go to Memoria." he said softly, "At the Iifa Tree."_

"_Memoria…? The 'castle of memories'? That place is a fairytale-"_

"_Did Zidane tell you that?" the man interrupted quietly, still staring into the mist._

_His change in behavior made Kioku nervous, "W-Well…Y-Yes, of course."_

_The man tilted his head back and toward her allowing his hood to slip off, "He denies what has happened, does he?"_

_Kioku gasped as she saw the man's face…Kuja's face…_

_His clouded eyes looked at her sadly, "Head for Iifa. My time here is short, so I've no time to explain. Just trust me and fly into the light atop Iifa's branches."_

…_The light atop Iifa's branches…_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Kioku woke to someone knocking on her door.

"Hey, Miss Kiki. You up?" came Aji's voice.

"Yeah." said Kioku, still half asleep.

"Can I come in?"

"Ye-" Kioku stopped as she realized she wasn't wearing her hood or hiding her tail, "No. Please wait a moment."

She quickly brushed her hair, put the hood on, and hid her tail, "Come on in."

The knob jiggled for a second and Aji laughed, "It's locked."

She stood up and opened the door for him, but didn't let him in, "Is there a reason for this little visit?"

He was smiling as usual, "No need to be so cold, I came to apologize."

He stared at her for a moment, "Hey! I just noticed, you have blonde hair!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah…I left it down today."

"Why don't you ever take that hood off? Would it be so bad if I saw your face?"

Kioku stared at him. What was she supposed to say? Yeah, see I got this horn thingy on top of my head?

He stared at her, "Is it a problem?"

Kioku remained silent.

Aji sighed, "Whatever. I'll see your whole face someday. That's a promise."

He turned and began to leave.

"Aji, wait!" Kioku said suddenly, "I know where we have to go!"

He turned, "Where?"

"Iifa."

"Iifa? Why? That place is just a collapsed tree!"

"Pleeeease?" Kioku pleaded, putting on her best puppy dog face.

Aji sighed again, "Pack your stuff. We'll leave in an hour."

Kioku hugged Aji, "Thank you so much! You have no idea what this means to me!"

She didn't notice Aji blushing as he pushed her off, "U-Um…G-Go pack. Remember, one hour. Meet me at the _Ryu_."

She nodded and ran back inside her room. Not that she had brought a ton of things, mostly just items, a weapon, and some snacks.

She ran to the _Ryu Chikara _as soon as she could. Aji was waiting outside.

He waved her in, "Hurry, there's another ship that wants through."

She nodded and followed him to the control room. They caught a glimpse of the other ship as they left. It hovered outside the airship dock.

"Whoa!" shouted Aji, "I don't believe it! That's the _Invincible_! I've heard of it, but I never saw it!"

Koku ran to the window and stared at the great blue airship as it flew into the dock.

"They're looking for me…" she whispered.

Aji turned to her, "Looking for you?"

Kioku quickly shook her head, "No… it's nothing. Don't worry."

She quickly walked to her room and closed the door. Just remembering Garnet…her mother…brought tears to her eyes. She'd felt so good about going to meet Kuja that she had forgotten all about Alexandria…and her family. She never dreamed they'd come after her.

"Kiki?" Aji said from the other side of the door, "Y' okay?"

Kioku wasn't sure of how to respond, "…Homesick."

Aji was silent for a moment, "Mind if I come in?"

"No."

There were no locks on the doors of the _Ryu Chikara_, so Aji didn't have to worry about it being locked.

Kioku stood by a window and stared into the clouds, "Aji, do you ever…miss your home?"

Aji walked to her side, "You want the truth?"

Kioku nodded.

Aji looked out the window with her, "As I told you in Lindblum, I used to live in Dali until about four years ago."

"Why did you leave?"

"…Dunno…Guess it's 'cause…there was nothing there to make me want to stay."

"What do you mean?"

"What is it that makes you want to go home?"

"My parents and friends, I suppose."

"There were no kids my age in the village, so I really had no friends. My parents died when I was six years old. After that, I decided to become an airship pilot, but no one really thought a six year old could be a pilot. I waited eight years, until I was fourteen, the age most people become pilots and I left Dali. Simple as that."

Kioku put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry."

He smiled at her, "Ah, don't be. It gave me freedom, didn't it? If I didn't have the _Ryu_, I'd be a farmer right now."

Kioku looked into his eyes. For once, they didn't seem happy or free. It was as if these memories were all that stood between him and the freedom he longed for.

"So, Kiki, your turn. Why did you leave your home?"

She paused to think of a way to word her story to make sure she didn't lie, but kept a certain amount of secrecy, "I-I…had a big fight with my father. He had kept secrets about my family from me my entire life. I feel like I don't know who my parents are anymore…who I am. So I left to find out about my parents."

"I see." Aji said calmly, "Well, we should be reaching Iifa soon. Try not to worry about your family. When you go back home after you figure everything out, stuff'll go back to normal. Promise."

Kioku smiled. Maybe Aji wasn't as bad as she first thought. He had certainly proved that he wasn't just some uneducated pilot as she had originally thought.

Aji walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Kioku stared at the door. There was something about him that was familiar, but she couldn't quite figure out what.

She gripped her improved prism staff and head toward the door as Iifa came into view…

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**A/N: **Holy crap! That took forever! 1299 words…-collapses from exhaustion- Sorry this one took so long…writers block to the X-TREME!

Thanks for reading this chapter! All that's left is to review. And don't even think about not reviewing. I now have a mob of undead lackys with rolled up newspapers just waiting for a chance to whack someone! Dewa mata!


	8. Truth

**Rushi-chan: **Hahaha….Don't you feel all special knowing the end of the story? Don't even hint at it in the reviews, though…or else! (I might fulfill your request in the next A/N….MIGHT!)

**A/N: **YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY CHAPTER…..I'VE LOST COUNT ALREADY!…..EIGHT I THINK!….YEAH! EIGHT! (gomen, I have a really bad memory, but Rushi-chan tells me I'm on chapter 8, soooooo…..yeah)

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Kioku found Aji leaning against the exit of the airship. She stopped. Something was wrong…One: Aji wasn't smiling, and two: he showed no signs of moving, even though she was sure he'd seen her.

"Aji? What's up?" Kioku asked nervously.

He sighed," Kiki…What's your real name?"

Kioku stared at him, unsure of what to say, "W-What do you mean?"

"You've been telling me a ton of lies this entire time, haven't you? You first said you had run away, then you said that your father worked in the palace at Lindblum and you were going to see him."

"W-Well…Maybe I just live with my mom."

"Maybe…but that doesn't explain why Lady Eiko would talk to some guard's daughter who just happens to be wandering through the halls of Lindblum Grand Castle alone. Also, you said that it was your father who was keeping secrets from you, so why would you be trying to find him?"

Kioku stared at him a moment. He had her there. She stared at Aji for a moment, thinking of any possible way to conceal her identity from him…

_No_, she thought sternly, _Aji deserves the truth…After all, he told me the truth…but…what if he…_

"Okay, Aji. I accept defeat, **however**! Promise me one thing:" She looked at him seriously, "If I do tell you my true name, promise me that you won't abandon me or send me back home….or treat me different…No matter what."

He paused and nodded.

Kioku sighed heavily, pulling off the hood and releasing her tail, "My legal name is Kiokuko Tribal…but my royal name is Kiokuko til Alexandros I, princess of Alexandria."

He stared at her for a while, as if not willing to believe what she had just told him, "P-PRINCESS?"

"H-Hey!" Kioku shouted quickly, "D-Don't forget your promise! 'No matter what,' remember?"

"PROMISE? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH TROUBLE THIS COULD GET ME INTO?"

"We'll just make sure they don't find out it was you who helped me."

"AND HOW THE HELL DO WE DO THAT?"

Kioku glared at Aji. This was getting seriously annoying, "STOP WORRYING ALREADY!"

Aji stared at her in shock. She had never yelled like _that_ around him, let alone at him.

"Why are you so worried?" Kioku continued, "Do you have any idea what'll happen to me when I get back? There are ways to conceal the truth about you, but everyone will know that I ran away! However! If you will calm down, I'm sure we can find a way to keep you from being found out!" her voice softened, "I told you the truth…so be happy."

Aji stared at her, still in shock. Finally, what she said registered in his brain.

"Kiki…I'm sorry…I-"

"Well, Aji! Are we going or not?"

He stared at her, "Huh?"

"You said you wouldn't treat me any differently, right? So let's get going!"

"But-"

"Hey, hey!" Kioku said with a laugh, "You promised Kiki you'd take her to the tree!" she grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the airship, "So take me!"

Aji smiled, "Right, then! Let's go…Kiki!"

Kioku smiled, _As long as I'm with you...Aji..._

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**A/N: **Sorry, I'm gonna be a jerk this time. It just seemed like the perfect place to stop. Plus, it'll make ya wanna read the next chapter reeeeeeeeal bad, right?…….Please don't hate me. I've already started the next chapter, so relax, 'kay? I normally wait a while before I start writing again.

Okay, Rushi-chan wanted me to make a joke scene between Aji and Kioku, so here it is!

**Pardon the Parody **(Fushigi Yuugi joke teehee)**: episode one-The Truth**

Kioku: "My legal name is Kiokuko Tribal…but my royal name is-"

Aji: FETUS!

Kioku: O.o;;; -Whacks Aji on the head for being an idiot- YOU IDIOT!

…….Sorry about that, but it was fun! XD So review! Those of you not currently reviewing, REVIEW NOW! All you reviewers, keep up the good work. -sniff sniff- You guys help boost my low self-esteem…;.; DOMO ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!


	9. Rival Appears

**Disclaimer: **Final Fantasy does not belong to Sekugi. Aji and Kioku do. Yay.

**Toxo-chan**: Yeah…the whole short chapter thing was a one time deal. Promise. Glad ya liked the chapter and ACTUALLY REVIEWED! -glares around at other readers- WHY DOESN'T ANYONE REVIEW?…I'm gonna cry… ;.;

**A/N: **Dude, I totally lazed out on the last chapter's a/n and review replies…so, yeah, sorry 'bout that. Anyways, on with the story!

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Aji had stopped the airship in front of the giant light… atop Iifa's branches…

Kioku just stared at the bright orb, _What have I gotten myself into?_

"Ready?" Aji asked cheerfully.

Kioku turned towards him in shock, "What? No! I-"

Her words were cut off as Aji grabbed her wrist and dragged her with him as he jumped from the airship into the light. Kioku screamed as she was engulfed in the warmth of the light…

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_Kioku quietly opens her eyes. The white light surrounding her gives her an eerie feeling._

"_You don't deserve him…" a voice says calmly._

"_Who are you?" Kioku asks in an emotionless voice._

"_I am merely one who knows him better than you…" comes the reply._

"_Him…? Kuja?"_

"_No…The one you long for secretly…I'll give you fair warning…Enjoy being near him…while you can…For, you see, I'll not allow it much longer…"_

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Kioku jumped.

"You okay?" asked Aji, "You look kinda pale…"

Kioku smiled as best she could, "It's nothing. Just a nightmare…nothing more…"

She looked around and gasped. The stone building she now found herself in seemed so…familiar…

Aji shuddered, "Creepy place, huh? You think your uncle's here?"

"Yes. I'm sure he is…" she said hesitantly.

Aji laughed, "Way to sound sure of yourself, Kiki!"

Kioku glared at him. She closed her eyes.

"Kiki?" said Aji, "What're you doing?"

"Listening."

Aji stared at her, "For what?"

"His voice."

"Huh?"

Kioku silenced him with a glare. She concentrated on the memory of Kuja's voice. She could almost hear it still, deep, cool, yet it pierced the soul…

Aji stepped back in surprise as Kioku's horn began to glow. She opened her eyes and walked through the stone rooms of Memoria, pausing every once in a while to "listen."

Suddenly, Kioku stopped short and opened her eyes.

"What is it, Kiki?" asked Aji.

"I don't hear him anymore…I can't find him…" she replied.

"By the way, who is this uncle of yours?"

"Hmm?" Kioku said absently, "Oh…His name is Kuja."

Aji stared at her, "Are you serious?"

She turned to him, "Of course. Why?"

"Well…it's just hard that anyone would admit to being related to him."

"What do you mean?"

Aji looked at her in disbelief, "I mean with everything that he _did_, I would never even pretend to be related to him."

"Did? What are you talking about?"

"You mean you don't know?"

Kioku glared at him in annoyance, "What don't I know? Tell me!"

He turned away uncomfortably, "Kuja is the man who started war between the three great kingdoms! He's the one who destroyed Burmecia, Lindblum _and_ Alexandria within one or two months! He was also part of the genocide campaign launched on the Burmecian people! Rumor has it he even destroyed an entire planet and attempted to destroy the universe!"

Kioku shook her head, "I-Impossible! It must be someone else!"

"There's no other person named Kuja that I know of."

"W-Well…you don't know everyone in the world, now do you?"

"Well, no, but-"

"There!" Kioku yelled, "Conversation over. There's only one doorway in this room other than the one we entered, so let's go!"

She stomped towards the doorway. Aji paused, then followed.

Just as Koku reached the doorway, a female voice, that seemed to come from the walls themselves, whispered, "_Did I not warn you? Stand away from Aji right now!_"

"Kaki?" asked Aji with obvious recognition.

Kioku turned to him, "Kaki? Who's Kaki?"

"_Correct, Aji. Long time no see, huh?_"

A woman materialized in front of the doorway. She looked slightly younger than Kioku with short brown hair and eyes.

She smiled at Aji, "_You haven't visited me in a while. I'm disappointed._"

Kioku stared at him, "You've been here before?"

Aji, his eyes wide with horror, shook his head, "No. She means I haven't visited her grave. Kaki died three years ago!"

Kioku looked at the transparent figure in her path and shuddered, "It's eerie, but I can't say I'm surprised. This is a castle made entirely of memories…"

Kaki glared at Aji, "_Don't call me 'Kaki' anymore, it's Kakiko! You have no right to treat me like you still loved me when you haven't even left me flowers in so long!"_

Those words stabbed at Kioku, "Y-You loved her?"

"Y-Yeah, well…You see we went out for a year," he said hastily, "but then she died! That's why I left Dali! It was only a year!"

Kakiko looked t Aji in shock for a moment, then a strange smile crept over her face, "_So that's how it is, huh, Aji? You love this little creature now, don't you? I'm nothing now…a distant memory, is that it?_"

A sword suddenly appeared in her hand, solid and threatening.

"_I won't let this happen," _she said slowly, "_Either she dies, or you both die together!"_

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**A/N: **Sigh…that took forever. These chapters are getting harder and harder to write. It makes me feel really bad when I make you readers wait, so gomen nasai.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!


	10. Victoryand Loss

**Disclaimer: **Final Fantasy belongs to Square, not Sekugi….sigh. I wish I owned Kuja-sama…

**A/N: **sigh…so few reviews…Oh Well! Must keep PEPPY! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Just remember: I'd be happy to be told what I'm doing wrong. That way, you don't have to suffer through reading my little mistakes. See? It's also for your benefit!

I've been really excited about writing _this _chapter for a while…Mwahahaha! (read to find out why…MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)

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Kioku shuddered and stepped back from the apparition. Aji pulled out his own sword and stepped in front of Kioku.

Kakiko just smiled, "_A meaningless effort."_

She swooped forward and slashed Aji's face, knocking him to the side…and leaving Kioku wide open. Kioku quickly pulled out her staff.

"Protect!" she yelled as she cast the spell.

Though the magic barrier protected her, she was flung back into the stone wall.

Aji ran at Kakiko, his face bleeding profusely from the gash over his right eye. He swung his blade at her, only to watch it go straight through her chest.

Kaki laughed, "_Aji, you know you can't kill the dead. There is no escaping this fate!_"

"Damn…" he muttered as he blocked an attack, "How the hell am I supposed to beat her…?"

He turned to Kioku, "Kiki! Get back to the _Ryu_ NOW!"

Kioku looked at him, unable to move. Could she leave him to die at the hands of this…this ghost?

"Aji! You know I can't just-"

"Hurry! Remember? She said 'either she dies or you both die together!' That means, if you leave-" he turned back to the fight as Kaki attempted to get closer to Kioku.

Kioku stared at him for moment. If she stayed, she would be risking, not only her life, but Aji's as well…but…if she could get out…they might be able to…

She blinked away tears as she turned to the doorway.

Kaki just laughed, "_Oh well, I guess they figured it out. I suppose it's time to stop playing around._"

She shot straight through Aji and came face to face with Kioku.

Kaki smiled, "_Now fade into memory…as I have._"

With that she thrust her sword through Kioku into the wall behind her.

Kaki turned to Aji who watched on in horror, "_It was nice seeing you again, Aji. I'll be waiting for those flowers."_

With that Kaki dissipated, leaving only Aji and Kioku, who was pinned upright against the wall.

Kioku just stared blankly ahead of her, unable to fully comprehend what had just happened. Aji ran to her.

She looked up as Aji reached her, "A..ji…I-It h-hurts so…m-much."

Aji did his best to put on a smile, "I know, but bear it a little longer, okay? W-We'll just get ya down now, alright?"

She just stared at him and coughed as he took the hilt into his hands.

He looked up at Kioku, "Just hang on, okay? This will hurt…"

He turned away and yanked back on the sword free. Kioku screamed in pain as she fell forward into Aji's arms. Aji sat down and cradled Kioku in his lap.

Kioku looked up at Aji, "N-No! I s-still haven't m-met…Ku...ja"

Aji winced, "Y-You will…We'll see him together, right?"

Kioku turned away without response. She could feel herself fading, and she nearly succumbed to the oncoming darkness, but she realized that she couldn't…not yet!

How could she leave without Aji knowing that the past few days had been the best in her life…that in that small amount of time she had…How could she sum up her feelings? How could she explain the sorrow she had felt when she even thought of parting with him?

She smiled weakly at Aji, reached up, and healed the wound on his face, leaving only a deep scar.

"A…ji…" she whispered, "I-Isn't it…beautiful….?"

Aji's eyes widened as he felt her go limp. He began trembling.

"Kiki!" he yelled as he shook her body, "Kiki! K-Kioku!"

Her empty eyes merely stared peacefully into space. Aji, still trembling, held her face to his as tears ran down his face, her final words ringing in his ears.

_Kioku…Kiki…I'll love you…forever…_

_Yes, Aji…Forever…and beyond…_

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**A/N: **And there you have it! That's all for this story! What's that? Not enough for you? Don't worry! Just keep an eye out for the upcoming sequel: _Within the Realms of Eternity_! 'Til then, this is Sephy-kun's girl signing out! Jaa ne!


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